Daddy's Miracle

Zacky waited around for a whole week to hear back from Jimmy. He stared at the phone, begging for it to go off, but it never did. Day after day Zacky did nothing but slump around listening for the ring of his phone, only to be disappointed.

As he neared his 7th month of pregnancy, he had to stop wearing the large t-shirts he and Brian bought and had to start wearing the extra-large, much to his dismay. His pains got worse and his morning sickness got more frequent. He was also running out of food since he ate nearly 3 times as much and he refuses to leave the apartment.

On the day marking 2 weeks since Jimmy’s visit, Zacky had officially given up all hope that he or Brian would try to contact him. He had to go through this alone. What will happen when he goes into labor? Who will drive him to the hospital? What happens afterwards?

Even after all Brian put him through, Zacky still loved him more than anything. However he still wasn’t sure that he’d forgive Brian if he happened to show up. It was a confusing emotion and Zacky mostly tried to keep his mind off Brian. He kept himself busy by focusing on finally assembling the baby cribs and painting the nursery. Brian had promised Zacky he would take care of it but that was before he left.

--

Zacky stepped down from the step ladder and backed up to admire his work. He’d only managed to paint a portion of the nursery in the multiple hours he’d been working for his swollen belly had become a setback. He glanced at his watch and sighed. It was already 2 in the morning. He was too tired to even shower, though he had stained his skin purple in multiple areas from painting, so he just slipped into a t-shirt and his boxers and climbed into bed.

--

Brian slowly turned the handle to his old apartment, praying that it was unlocked. To his dismay, it wasn’t. He sighed and pulled out a paper clip he had in his pocket. After a few tries, he managed to pick the lock and quietly slip inside.

It was around 3 in the morning, so Zacky should be asleep, but he managed to leave every light on in the house. It was Brian’s biggest pet peeve so he turned them all out before he did anything else.

He quietly crept up the stairs but paused at his old bedroom door. There was no way Zacky would take him back. Matt was right, he was a coward. He didn’t deserve someone like Zacky. Jimmy was right as well, he did want those kids after all. It just took him leaving and two of his friends beating him up to realize it.

He sighed and slowly opened the door. Zacky had, of course, left the bedside lamp on so Brian could see his face perfectly. His face looked so calm and content, though Brian knew he had been through hell because of him. He must have gotten too hot sometime through the night because the covers were kicked in a pile at his feet. His stomach was bigger than Brian remembered. He had no idea it could grow so much in a period of just 2 weeks. He was sleeping on his side and his belly was lying in between his two legs, which were bent close to his chest. His arms were also wrapped around his stomach, as if he were guarding his two kids from anyone who threatened to take them away.

Brian bent down close to Zacky and tucked a piece of black hair that had fallen in his face behind his ear. Brian’s gentle touch was enough to jolt Zacky awake. He quickly sat up and pilled the covers to his chin. Brian stood up slowly.

“Brian?” Zacky stared at the man standing in his bedroom in disbelief.

“H-Hi Zacky.” Brian said quietly. “I’m home.” Zacky released his grip on the bed covers and let them fall. He slowly got out of bed and walked over to Brian.

“No. It’s not really you. I’m dreaming aren’t I?” Zacky rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up.

“No Zacky, you’re not dreaming. It’s really me. I’m really here.” Brian smiled at his boyfriend’s confusion but it quickly faded when Zacky slapped his cheek. Hard.

“You asshole! You left me to take care of these kids by myself because you were too afraid to grow the fuck up and take on some responsibility! ” Zacky yelled. “You didn’t even have the decency to talk to me face to face about it! All you did was leave a shitty-ass note! What kind of dick does that?!”

“You have every right to be mad, Zacky, but can’t we just talk this out without you slapping me?” Brian asked, rubbing his now-red cheek.

“No, we can’t.” Zacky slapped Brian across the face again, though this time on the other side.

“Okay, I deserved that.” Brian said quietly.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t throw you out of this apartment right now.” Zacky asked, folding his arms across his chest.

“Because I’m here now, I’ve gotten the shit beaten out of me by Jimmy and Matt, I’ve grown up and realized I want these kids and I’m ready to take care of them. And I love you more than anything else in this world, Zacky. Will you please take me back?” Brian pleaded. Zacky just stood there for a few moments, staring up at him with glaring emerald eyes.

“I don’t know, Brian.” Zacky said quietly, now looking down at the floor. “I’ll have to think about it for a bit. But right now, I’m tired and I need sleep.” Brian just nodded slowly. Zacky handed him a pillow and blanket. “You can go sleep on the couch tonight.” Brian nodded again and slowly walked out of the room, without saying another word.

Neither of them gotten very much sleep that night. They both lied on their back, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about the other. Brian really didn’t expect Zacky to forgive him, but it was going better than he had thought. Even if he was stuck sleeping on the couch, Zacky hadn’t kicked him out yet, so that had to be a good sign.

He eventually drifted off to sleep but only got in about two hours before the sunlight from a nearby window shone in his face, waking him up. He groaned, sat up, and immediately felt a sharp pain in his back. That’s what sleeping on the couch will do to you.

He got up off the couch and started to the kitchen, but he tripped over something. He rubbed his throbbing head and glanced over to what he tripped over. It was Zacky. He had a blanket and was curled up on the floor by the couch.

“Zacky?” Brian asked, confused, as Zacky sat up.

“Oh, hi Brian. Sorry, did I get in your way?” Zacky rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up and smiled at Brian.

“Um kinda, but what exactly are you doing sleeping on the floor?” Zacky looked down at the floor and blushed.

“Well this is going to sound really cheesy and whatever, but…I really missed you. When you were gone, you were all I thought about. Even though I’m still insanely mad at you, I couldn’t spend any more time away from you. But when I came down here to ask you if wanted to sleep in our bed, you were already asleep. So I just slept here.”

“D-Does this mean you take me back?” Brian asked hopefully. Zacky sighed.

“Yes.” Brian’s face lit up. Still on the floor, he crawled over to Zacky and threw his arms around him.

“Oh Zacky thank you so so so so much! I love you more than anything! I don’t deserve you!” Brian hugged Zacky tight, though Zacky didn’t return the favor. Brian pulled away and looked at him questioningly.

“But I swear to god if you ever leave me like that again, I’ll kick you out of this house so fast your head will spin.” Zacky smiled again and finally hugged Brian back. They stayed like that for a while, exchanging ‘I love you’s’ and ‘I missed you’s’ and hugging on the floor by the couch.

“Hey, um, Bri?” Zacky started nervously, refusing to look his boyfriend in the eye.

“Yes, Zacky?”

“Did you…did you, y’know… get with anyone else when you were gone?” Brian was silent for a few moments.

“Of course not, Zacky!” Brian used one finger to lift Zacky’s chin so he looked him in the eye. “We’ve talked about this before. I told you the only person I’d ever cheat on you with is Billie Joe Armstrong, remember?” Brian joked. Zacky giggled at Brian’s man-crush on the singer for Green Day.

“I just might have to join you two.” Zacky said seductively. Brian smirked and kissed his boyfriend again. He placed a hand on Zacky’s swollen belly and immediately felt a kick. Zacky winced in pain.
“Zacky! The twins kicked!” Brian said excitedly, beaming.

“Yeah I know… I felt it.” Brian’s smile disappeared.

“Oh god are they coming? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?!” Brian asked in a panic. Zacky giggled.

“No, Brian, they aren’t coming yet. I still have two more months, remember? They just kicked, that’s all.” Brian noticeably got calmer.

“Oh, right, sorry. Do you need anything? A glass of water?” Brian rubbed Zacky’s back in small circles, just like he used to.

“No, thanks. I really just want to go back to sleep.” Zacky yawned, on cue. “I barely got any sleep last night and being tripped over isn’t my ideal way of being woken up.” Zacky smirked and eyed Brian.

“Well excuse me! Normal people don’t sleep on the floor in front of the couch when they have a perfectly normal bed just up the stairs!” Brian said, standing up.

“Just shut up and come to bed with me.” Zacky smiled, happy to have his boyfriend back again.

“Okay, babe. Let’s go.” Zacky tried to get up on his own, but Brian bent down, picked Zacky completely up, and started carrying him bridal-style to their bedroom.

“Brian, you don’t have to carry me. I’m pretty sure I’m a lot heavier than I used to be.” Zacky said, patting his stomach.

“It’s no trouble, babe. Besides, I have to start repaying you for leaving.”

“Damn right you do.” Zacky wrapped his arms around Brian’s neck and rested his head on his chest. As soon as Brian set him down on the bed, Zacky curled up and fell asleep instantly. Brian smirked and pulled the covers up to his shoulders.

“Goodnight, Zacky.” Brian said to his snoring boyfriend.